Other articles by Jennifer Duffy:

How did Star's matchmaking go? Fit in Tucson by Jennifer Duffy: Try orienteering and achieve pure fitness Blue Willow has lots of meatless, tasty meals Fit in Tucson by Jennifer Duffy: Their sport is their primary relationship Let's go buy a kite Fit in Tucson by Jennifer Duffy : The time is prime Beauty is his beatShe's looking for pal He seeks live wire Minidress hot again

General
CORT
Warehouse Supervisor Construction
Komatsu Equipment Co
Mechanic Health Care
Rio Salado College
PA's/Online Instructors General
CORT
WAREHOUSE/DRIVER Education
Assessment Technology, Inc
Social Studies Content Writer

I know I should have thought of a better joke, but I ran out of time.

Twice.

Because last week was National Procrastination Week, I decided to let myself slide.

It's not that I don't care. I'm totally embarrassed to make such a lame joke to more than 100,000 readers.

I blushed when I read it.

Twice.

So why did I put things off?

Lee Silber, a surfer dude who used his procrastination experience, à la Ridgemont High's Jeff Spicoli, to write a book, says it could be because I'm too self-conscious.

In "Organizing From the Right Side of the Brain: A Creative Approach to Getting Organized" (St. Martin's Griffin, $13.95), Silber says fear of judgment often paralyzes creative right-brainers who aren't into organizing things or keeping track of time.

For these types, a last-ditch effort provides a ready-made excuse for shoddy work.

"We right-brained people, we're afraid of the judgment that comes after finishing something," Silber said in a phone call from San Diego. "A lot of times we don't know what we'll do next — we don't have plans, and we have huge fears that will stop anyone. And we have fragile egos."

His solution for scatter-brained creative types: Don't worry so much about the outcome. Indulge in the process and it will get done.

"Creative types love to get lost in the process. You know, get so busy that they forget to eat. That point is where you're going to be most effective," he said.

Silber said many time-management books tell people to break projects into manageable chunks, but that doesn't work for right-brainers like me.

Making a list doesn't inspire me to get working.

According to Silber, I should just dive into projects at whatever part interests me the most. It's there that I will find the motivation and intrigue to tackle the whole task without having to weigh myself down with checklists.

Left-brainers, those of you who crave organization and lists, often put things off because they seem too overwhelming, tedious or trivial.

For you, breaking up a project into little tasks works well. That's the strategy time-management expert Laura Stack calls "the salami technique."

"If you want a salami sandwich, you don't just go in and order a whole salami and bite into it. You have it sliced into manageable, digestible chunks. The same thing goes for a project," said the Denver-based author, who holds an MBA in organizational management.

Create a plan or an outline for the project, Stack says, then pick one of the smaller tasks and do it. Then another. And so on.

If you're putting off a project because it's trivial or unpleasant, just do it for five minutes, Stack says.

She even sets an egg timer.

If you want to quit at five minutes, allow yourself and vow to do it again for five minutes each day until it gets done.

Or, if after five minutes you're into the task and don't mind it, just finish it. That's what usually happens, Stack says.

"I can do anything for five minutes," she said.

And if these tricks don't work, think about why you're putting things off. Some chores don't need to get done immediately, or ever, Stack says.

She makes a daily "to do" list and a "memory list" of stuff that she might want to do someday, if time permits.

If it doesn't stress you out to have a messy desk, scratch it off your list. That way there's no pressure to get the frivolous tasks done when there are important things to do (like paying taxes, or, you know, your job, if you're me.)

This way you won't have to make excuses, ever.

Much less, twice.